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The Prismatic Oasis
Once, in the last days of the Time of Oases, deep In the endless sands, The Prismatic Oasis shone like a jewel. Once the only permanent source of water for days around, this town, though small, was valued greatly by all who wandered the desert. Culture The inhabitants of the town worshipped three gods, almost exclusively: The Just, their ancestral protector; The Stranger, their wandering guide; and The Serene, their verdant fountain. Ancient documents described the temple to these three gods, a lavish affair of blue stone, white brick, domes, and minarets. Though It was large and beautiful, it is speculated to have been buried under the sweeping sands. The only major tribe in the surrounding desert who remembers the Time of Oases are the Assamanu-Drath, who mourn The Serene's kingdom in the desert, turning The Forgotten in their grief. The Forgotten taught them the ways of their ancestors, who they honor. Some speculate that they believe the bones of the ancestors still contain the water and spirit left from when The Serene dwelt in their desert. Little is known about the organization and government of the Prismatic Oasis. From the records of the Assamanu-Drath, there was a King and two high priest-like figures. One of these had a connection with some of the mysterious ruins found in the desert, but it is not known which. It is also said that the inhabitants had constructed a marvelous system of cisterns and channels, but no evidence has yet been found. One more piece is known of their culture: a cycle of pilgrimages through the desert was nearly constant, and often coincided with the phases of the moon. In fact, the four minarets known from the writings about the temple are known as the full, waning, new, and waxing minaret. Foolish treasure seekers often spin tall tales that the oasis appears on certain nights (most popularly, it is said to appear only when the moon is full). No claims have been substantiated, but stories of the mysterious oasis appearing to lost desert travelers are always a favorite. The End of the Time of Oases The desert tribe that would become the Prismatic Oasis once wandered the desert alongside the Assamanu-Drath and the ancestors of Laplace. In these times, the desert had many oases where the tribes would drink and hunt. The desert was still ruled by the three gods, but they eventually fell into conflict. It is believed that this conflict caused a century of drought, drying up the oases and producing the endless sand we know today. In these troubles, a portion of the tribes appealed to The Serene to save them, while others sought the foreign help of The Forgotten. Those who appealed to The Serene were given a great basin of magic stone that produced water and healed the land being the Prismatic Oasis). Those who asked The Forgotten were transfigured into the dry and resilient Ash Elves. Others chose to flee the desert and to live on the unknown coast, and these became the inhabitants of Laplace. The Just, however, had seen the dishonorable tactics used by The Serene and The Stranger in their conflict, and so sent a messenger. One man stayed truly loyal to The Just, shunning The Serene, The Stranger, and The Forgotten alike: The Prophet Phose, who told of destruction of the kingdom of The Serene and the guidance of The Stranger for a century. He went first to the Assamanu-Drath, who built a great fortress in response to his words, fearing becoming lost without the guidance of The Stranger on their pilgrimages. When the prophet went to the Prismatic Oasis, he was killed by the king, who was outraged by his message. It is said that at that moment, a great sandstorm covered the desert, raging for forty days. The Oasis was drowned in sand, while the Fortress of the Ash Elves persevered. That is the reason that the Oasis vanished, and why we live in The Dresotheran. -An Ash Elf Folktale [[Category:Town]